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This report reviews several decades of global experience in transferring management of government-run irrigation systems to farmer associations or other nongovernmental agencies in an attempt to apply the lessons of success to the African smallholder irrigation context.
"In order to face the challenge of disappointing returns on public investment in irrigation and drainage new solutions have emerged. These solutions are based on widely available technology and new management and governance options. The main message of Re-engaging in Agricultural Water Management is that the irrigation and drainage sector should not continue to be dealt with as a standalone sector, but should be integrated into a broader perspective, one that embraces the objectives of productivity growth, poverty reduction, natural resources management and environmental protection."
'A unique and significant longitudinal study of irrigation intervention in FMIS in Nepal that revives important debates on how irrigation management evolves and how this can be investigated. This concise and accessible book can inform and challenge agencies and donors to reflect on policies and researchers to argue further the study of collective action and political theory in irrigation management.' – Linden Vincent, Wageningen University, The Netherlands 'Improving Irrigation in Asia by Elinor Ostrom and colleagues is grounded in intimate detail on water management experience in Nepal while being informed by broadly-applicable concepts and behavioral theories. It greatly advances our understanding of management options and effects. As the water resources available for agriculture become more limited and unreliable, the efficiency and productivity with which irrigation water is used must be increased. While better technology can assist in this quest, the greatest potential gains lie in the social and organizational domains.' – Norman Uphoff, Cornell University, US 'Governance of irrigation systems is complex, needing social, technical and financial actions that support farming. Few people have as much knowledge of self-governing irrigation systems as these authors, and few countries have as many of these systems as Nepal. Lessons from these small irrigation systems can be adapted to much larger units, and to other kinds of activity. External assistance on a modest scale could generate practical benefit, by encouraging self-reliance in communities.' – Charles Abernethy, International Irrigation Management Institute, Colombo (1987–94) and Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand (1996–99) Improving Irrigation in Asia is based on a longitudinal study over two decades on innovative intervention for sustained performance of irrigation systems. The work identifies key factors that can help explain the performance of interventions, and explicates lessons for resource management and the management of development assistance. In 1985, the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat of Nepal and the International Irrigation Management Institute developed an ingenious intervention program for nineteen irrigation systems located in the middle hills of Nepal in an attempt to overcome the prevailing 'best-practices' traps, in regard to assisting irrigation systems. This book highlights the innovativeness of the project lay in its provision of ample opportunities for farmers to make decisions regarding the operation of the irrigation system based on their local knowledge and creativity. The authors of this work, Elinor Ostrom, Wai Fung Lam, Prachanda Pradhan and Ganesh P. Shivakoti provide detailed analysis of these interventions and support the conclusion that farmers can build on an innovative intervention that not only provides physical improvements but also enhances farmers' problem-solving capacity. They argue that to achieve sustainable improvements in performance, the farmers themselves need to engage in collective action over time and support local entrepreneurs who provide leadership and stimulate adjustments to change. Providing practical policy solutions, this study will prove a fascinating and invaluable read for academics and scholars of development studies, resource management, and irrigation studies, as well as development specialists in international agencies, policymakers in governments and international donor agencies.
This dissertation, "Institutional Change and Intervention Outcome: Comparing Assistance Schemes for Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems in Nepal" by Pradyumna, Amatya, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of thesis entitled Institutional change and intervention outcome: Comparing assistance schemes for farmer managed irrigation systems in Nepal submitted by Pradyumna Amatya for the degree of Master of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in July 2002 This study is built upon the idea of understanding and, hence, improving intervention outcome in common pool resources (CPR) in general and irrigation in particular. Drawing upon an institutional analysis framework, this study addressed two most fundamental questions in the context of irrigation management in Nepal- What explains intervention success? And, is institutional change a necessary condition for successful intervention? Two explanations, one mainstream and one alternative, were discussed in this thesis to verify the relationship among major variables in this study in a response to the identified questions. Major variables of the study were- intervention design, governing structure, and intervention outcome- the last variable being dependent on the first two. Mainstream explanation basically followed the assumption that once a good design of intervention schemes or conducive governance structure is there, good outcomes will follow automatically. Although this is very well accepted in the prior studies of this topic, this study in its alternative explanation challenged like assumptions. To address these explanations, a two-phase field-based case study was conducted. In the first phase carried out in the winter of 1999, study sites were finalized, eight irrigation systems selected from those sites, and a brief pilot study undertaken. In the second phase during the summer of 2000, a semi-structured interview was performed among the participants from those systems, four each from two most agriculturally potential districts of Nepal- Chitwan and Nawalparasi. Comparative analysis of empirical data sets revealed that institutional change is imperative to influence the outcome of intervention. Acknowledging both intervention design and governing structure as major causes of intervention outcome and the crucial avenues through which intervention can be made to influence existing institutions and outcome, this study constantly argued and analytically verified that intervention would succeed only when it could trigger off change in local institutions. This study, therefore, refuted the mainstream argument about the deterministic effect of intervention types and governance structures on intervention outcomes. Simply put, this implied that mainstream explanation would thrive only when the institutional change is taken into account. Although institutional change was shown to be a necessary condition to explain intervention outcome, such change per se was found inadequate to satisfy the explanation pertaining to successful outcome. Rather, the institutional change patterns- the consistency, magnitude, and level of institutional change- superseded mere institutional change. Broad and general notions of institutional change would do little to influence policies about improving outcome of external assistance in farmer managed irrigation systems. Rules not suited to system operation and management must be changed while emphasis should be placed on turning those changes on paper into real changes in practice. It was found that the following factors helped farmers
Combines and interprets results from a number of studies that were designed to help the Egyptian government formulate a rational approach to sharing the costs of water services among the beneficiaries-agriculture and other users-and government. Highlights lessons transferable to other countries.
Good management of water resources - universally identified as a key aspect of poverty reduction, agriculture and food security - has proven, in practice, as difficult to achieve as it is eagerly sought. This book, edited and authored by leading authorities on water resource management, examines the recent changes in governance, institutions, economics and policies of water, covering developing, transitional and developed countries, with special emphasis on southern African case studies. The book examines how water policies, institutions and governance have shifted in recent years from supply-driven, quantitative, centrally controlled management to more demand-sensitive, decentralized, participatory approaches. Such a move often also implies cost recovery principles, resource allocation among competing sectors, and privatization. The case studies demonstrate that the new policies and legal frameworks have been difficult to implement and often fall short of initial expectations. Using an accessible multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, sociology, geography and policy analysis, the book untangles the issues and presents best practices for policy- and decision-makers, governments and regulators, NGOs and user groups, service providers, and researchers. The overall aim is to show how good water governance structures can be developed and implemented for the benefit of all.
High irrigation investment costs together with declining world prices for food and the failures of a number of high profile past irrigation projects are the main reasons for the reluctance of development agencies and governments in sub-Saharan Africa to invest more resources in irrigation. This study aims to systematically establish whether costs of irrigation projects in sub-Saharan Africa are truly high, determine the factors which influence costs and performance of irrigation projects, and recommend cost-reducing and performance-enhancing options to make irrigation investments in the region more attractive. It analyzes 314 irrigation projects implemented from 1967 to 2003 in 50 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America funded by the World Bank, African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Irrigation management transfer (IMT) means the relocation of responsibility and authority for irrigation management from government agencies to non-governmental organizations, such as water user's associations. It is a widespread process that is taking place in more than 40 countries. These guidelines have been written to assist policy-makers, planners, technical experts, farmers' representatives and others involved in IMT programmes to design and implement an effective comprehensive and sustainable reform.